Borden Rimrock BRMXD,benchrest,30BR,6PPC,

For many years I used to shoot guns and compete in Benchrest shooting. I gave that all up some 20 years ago and thought I was done with this all. I would never do this again. I sold my Benchrest guns and all the equipment I used to shoot, from primer pocket cleaner to front rest and bag.

Never say never.

In 2016 I bought back my old Stolle Panda rifle from the same guy who bought it from me 20 years back.

After shooting the old Stolle for a few months, I decided that I like to have a new rifle with the latest technology and stock made out of wood like Roy Hunter and Leonard. After some research, I found a used rifle here in Iceland with Borden Rimrock action and Roy Hunter stock. After a few phone conversations with the seller, we agreed on the price. I had a few days to think if I would jump on his offer. A few days later I contacted him to take the offer, he told me he had just sold it. A different solution had to be found.

I bought a new Borden Rimrock BRMXD 1470 D action with Jewel trigger from Jim Borden https://bordenrifles.com/

I ordered 2 Hart barrels to go with the action, 6. mm and 308 cal to make 6PPC and 30 BR. Jim Borden gave an estimated production time. 

After some research, I found that it would be hard to buy a Roy Hunter, Leonard, or similar stock from the USA. 

I decided to make my own wood/carbon fiber stock.

Wood

There are hardly any companies in Iceland selling good quality wood thicker than 3 Inches suitable for Benchrest rifle stock. I found one 

a company that had American Red Wood 4 Inches wide.

I bought a piece that would make up 2. rifle stocks.

Epoxy and Carbon fiber usable for this project is hard to find in Iceland.

I ended up buying Epoxy and Carbon fiber from Easy Composite in England. http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/

In the images, you can see the process of making this stock. I made two stocks. One I intended to cover with Carbon fíber. And one intended to have a wood look.

American Red Wood is very soft. I had to be extra careful not to dent it. This wood is difficult to repair.

I covered the stock with 3. layers of clear Epoxy. If I do this again, I have to adjust the temperature better in the room. It has to be correct, and instead of 3. layers, I need to have 4. with each layer thinner to make the sanding less challenging.

Update in 2021

American Red Wood is not good stock material. It is too soft and dents too easily. I have now re-bedded this rifle in Carbon Fiber stock made by Steve Blain in Australia.

I took the rifle for a test, the stock was not fully finished but I needed to know if it would shoot before I finished the stock. The rifle is bedded but not glued. I have not decided if I will glue this action?

The fist shoot was on a different paper ( just to sight the rifle in) and then I shot 6 groups. The top 3 groups  are shot with the stock firmly on the shoulder and with a little force against the front stop. The group bottom right is shot after cleaning and the bullet out of the group is the first shoot.

The two groups on the bottom left are shot free recoil.

The rifle is handling very well better than my old Stolle with 30 year old McMillan stock. The longer stock is much better in the bags. I need to do more shooting to see if all is ok and decide if I need to glue the action? In all the groups there is always one bullet out often the  5th. The aggregate for the first 3 top groups is ,210. If I count all 6 groups the agg is ,310 and If I take all 4 shot in each group the agg is ,170.

On the test day there was wind coming from 3-9 about 4-5 meters per sec and heat was +2°C  The load was 33,2 gr H4198 and Barts 112  gr. This of course  is 30BR.